


Winter Soldier’s Conditioned Responses (Or Lack Thereof)

by CloakedSparrow



Series: Marvel Ficlets & Headcanons Collection [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Friendship/Love, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hydra (Marvel), Mind Control Aftermath & Recovery, No Dialogue, No Sex, Other, PoW, Post-Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-28
Updated: 2017-05-28
Packaged: 2018-11-06 02:08:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11026362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CloakedSparrow/pseuds/CloakedSparrow
Summary: The Winter Soldier was not permitted to show any response to his physical or emotional state. Unlearning this takes time for Bucky.





	Winter Soldier’s Conditioned Responses (Or Lack Thereof)

Hydra used their brainwashing techniques and chemical suppressants to prevent the Winter Soldier from having emotional responses to most situations. He didn’t show when he was frightened, sad or nervous because he wasn’t permitted to feel anything. He certainly was never happy or amused. 

Physical responses were a more difficult matter. They couldn’t simply make him not feel. It was too complicated a task and they couldn’t risk nerve damage. They needed him to have his sense of touch intact in order to perform the missions assigned to him. Therefore, they had to condition him not to react to his physical state. No shivering; no grimacing; no limping; no frowning; no cringing; no flinching; no crying out in pain; no crying at all.

After he broke through the brainwashing, Bucky could feel everything again. Moreover, he could react to his emotions. He wasn’t punished or wiped for expressing his feelings because he was allowed to have them. He could tear up. He could frown. He could arch an eyebrow. He could smile. He could laugh. He could cry. It was such a relief.

However, breaking years of physical conditioning was harder. On top of that, Bucky had so much to relearn and discover anew in a different century, he didn’t really notice that he was doing anything abnormal. So he still didn’t react to physical sensation. Pain, pleasure, discomfort, temperature changes; he doesn’t react to any of it.

It really freaks Steve out sometimes. He can’t tell if Bucky is cold on a mission that leads them to yet another snow covered mountain or if Zola’s bastardized serum prevents him from feeling it. He can’t tell if Bucky gets hurt unless he’s bleeding or has a limb bent at the wrong angle…or collapses. He can’t tell if his touch is welcomed and comforting or distressing and oppressive. Bucky never complains about cold or pain (although he will seek medical attention when necessary) and he never flinches or pushes Steve away, but he never reacts.

Steve doesn’t say anything because he knows it isn’t fair to demand that Bucky heals on _his_ schedule. He doesn’t want to make Bucky feel bad or give him another thing to stress over. He knows he has too much on his plate already.


End file.
